Flooring surfaces have been provided by laying flagstones and tiles since time immemorial. Nevertheless, new building materials have provided an opportunity to construct a new type of modular flooring element that incorporates both a durable surface substantially equivalent to that provided by concrete or cement, while at the same time providing the benefits of presently available expanded polymeric foams in terms of reduced weight and insulation.
Tile panels with a plastic foam core have been proposed. Wack et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,817,012, describes a prefabricated ceramic tile with ceramic tile elements bonded to a foam backer formed from rigid closed-cell plastic foam. A fiber reinforced paper backing sheet (104 in FIGS. 4-7) is attached to the rear surface of the foam backer. The preferred material for the foam backer is polyurethane, which is foamed in place in a mold. The foaming process bonds the foam to the rear surface of the ceramic tile face. The fiber reinforced sheet added to the rear surface of the foam backer further strengthens the panel and permits the use of a relatively thin foam layer. The preferred material for the backing sheet is a kraft paper reinforced by a glass fiber scrim (106 in FIG. 7) which is affixed to the inner side of the paper by a thin polyethylene coating.
Angioletti, U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,616, describes a monolithic slab with a ceramic tile surface, polymeric grouting material between the tiles, and a synthetic resinous plate with a reinforcing fabric embedded in its rear face. The resinous plate has shavings distributed throughout the plastic. The product serves as a flooring material providing sound-proofing and waterproofing to the resulting floor. The resinous plate is preferably a microcellular polyurethane foam with an insulating material such as wood shavings or a vulcanized elastomer embedded in the matrix. A fabric scrim or net is embedded in the face of the plate opposite the tiles.
Winnick, U.S. Pat. No. 3,646,180, describes a foam-cored wall panel with two fiberglass layers. One such layer bonds a layer of ceramic tiles to the foam core. Preferably, relatively thin tiles are employed so that the panel can be suspended from the building studs as a unit. Flexible grout may be installed in the cracks between tile on the front or exposed tile layer surface of the panel. The panels are formed by placing a layer of tile face down in a mold and taping the joints formed by their abutting edges with adhesive tape. Next, a fiber-glass layer is applied to the tape-covered rear surface of the tile layer. The fiberglass material includes an adhesive or bonding agent such as a polyester resin which effects adhesion to the tile layer. To form the core, a closed cell foam plastic composition of polyurethane, polyethylene, or polystyrene is then introduced into the cavity over the cured fiberglass layer. After curing (at a controlled temperature) the foam core is smoothed and leveled by sanding. A second fiberglass layer carrying mounting means for anchoring or securing the wall panel to conventional construction is then applied to the exposed core surface. The panel thus comprises layers of tile, adhesive tape, fiberglass, foam core, and fiberglass.
Murphy, U.S. Pat. No. 3,362,119, describes a four-layer, pre-grouted tile panel. The panel has a layer of tiles, a layer of adhesive, a rigid base sheet layer, and a deformable backing layer. The tiles may be ceramic, and the base sheet is preferably asbestos fiber embedded in mineral cement. The readily deformable backing layer (15 in FIG. 3), preferably a plastic foam, comprises the rear layer of the panel.
Bartoloni, U.S. Pat. No. 3,521,418, describes a panel with a backing support made from fibrous material impregnated by a plastic resin. A plastic resin is interposed between the decorative tile facing and the backing support made from the fibrous material. A plurality of thin, elongated reinforcing strips or rods made from fiber glass may be immersed in the resin to provide reinforcement for the backing support.
McLauchlin U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,995 issued May 23, 1989 depicts a plurality of ceramic tiles pre-assembled and mounted on a water-resistant, non-stretchable backing sheet. The tile panels further include a non-stretchable facing layer which is releasably adherent to the faces of the tiles. The spaces between the tiles are filled with grout to seal these spaces against moisture, etc.
It is also known to combine cementitious tiles with heat transfer tubing positioned in grooves formed within the body of the tile surface to be used as part of a hydronic, heated/cooled floor surface, cf Corbett, U.S. Pat. No. 6,805,290. In other cases, such tubing has been positioned in gaps located between the edges of noncontiguous tiles, cf, Fiedrich, U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,377.
A need exists for a tile suitable for use as a floor surface which can be readily made from conveniently available materials and which is easy to install. It would also be desirable for such tile to accommodate thermal transfer tubing to serve as part of a hydronic heated/cooled floor surface. The present invention addresses such a need.
The invention in its general form will first be described, and then its implementation in terms of specific embodiments will be detailed with reference to the drawings following hereafter. These embodiments are intended to demonstrate the principle of the invention, and the manner of its implementation. The invention in its broadest and more specific forms will then be further described, and defined, in each of the individual claims which conclude this Specification.